Punjab Police Arrest Seven in International Fraud Ring, Seize…

Punjab Police apprehended seven suspects from Nigeria and Ghana in Noida for operating a fraudulent call center, seizing items worth around ₹30 lakh. The alleged gang duped over 350 individuals, claiming to offer gifts from abroad and demanding money for customs clearance. Investigations continue into their operations and accomplices.

In a significant crackdown on fraud, the Mohali Cyber Crime Cell of the Punjab Police arrested seven men from Ghana and Nigeria who were allegedly running a fake call center in Noida. Arrested on May 25, 2025, these individuals have been remanded for two days by a Mohali court as the investigation continues into their operations.

The raid yielded a staggering cache of evidence including 79 smartphones, four laptops — two of which are Apple MacBooks — and 99 SIM cards, both domestic and international. Additionally, the authorities uncovered documentation linked to 31 fictitious bank accounts, collectively valued at approximately ₹30 lakh. Police estimates indicate that transactions associated with these accounts could amount to around ₹15 crore.

Senior Superintendent of Police, Harmandeep Singh Hans, revealed that the ages of the suspects range from 25 to 35 years and all possess a level of education, which possibly aided their sophisticated scam. The suspects reportedly created fake social media profiles to establish rapport with both Indian and overseas victims.

SSP Hans emphasized the advanced cyber tools and covert techniques employed by the police in apprehending this gang, which has potentially defrauded over 350 individuals. “Utilizing a variety of tactics, our team managed to trap the culprits,” he stated.

The method of the scam was quite elaborate. Victims were lured with promises of extravagant gifts purportedly being sent from abroad. Following this, the fraudsters fabricated claims that customs had seized these parcels, prompting demands for money to cover purported clearance fees or taxes. Victims were instructed to deposit funds into specified bank accounts.

The operation was spearheaded by Deputy Superintendent of Police, Rupinderdeep Kaur Sohi, who detailed that the property serving as the call center was rented by a Nigerian woman whose present whereabouts remain unknown. Investigations are ongoing to identify the bank account holders associated with the fraudulent activities and to understand how the SIM cards were procured. Additionally, it was highlighted that the scammers targeted individuals in Nigeria with false job offers in India, further widening their scope of deception.

In conclusion, the bust of this international fraud ring in Noida underscores the persistent efforts of the Punjab Police to combat cybercrime. With a wealth of seized evidence and an ongoing investigation into the scandal’s operations, the police aim to protect future victims from similar scams. As authorities continue to unravel the extent of the fraud, public awareness regarding such schemes becomes increasingly critical.

Original Source: indianexpress.com